LAHORE (Pakistan) : The death of human rights activist Hidayat Lohar under questionable circumstances is garnering international condemnation across social media platforms. Several human rights organisations and prominent figures who raise their voices against the suppression of the people of Pakistan, are sharing their sympathies over the demise.
Human Rights organisations Sindhi Association of North America (SANA), in a press release shared on social media platform ‘X’ stated that “The Sindhi Association of North America condemns the brutal assassination of longtime activist and schoolteacher Hidyat Lohar in Naseerabad, Sindh.”
Washington D.C. (Press Release)
The Sindhi Association of North America condemns the brutal assassination of longtime activist and schoolteacher Hidyat Lohar in Naseer Abad, Sindh.
SANA President @maqhalepota Maqbool Halepota, General Secretary @MushRajpar Mushtaq Rajpar and… pic.twitter.com/w1wvVLC5YK
— Sindhi Association of North America (SANA) (@sindh_sana) February 16, 2024
The statement further states that ” SANA President @maqhalepota Maqbool Halepota, General Secretary @MushRajpar Mushtaq Rajpar and Information Secretary Iftikhar Memon in a statement expressed condolences with family of slain activist, demanding justice for the family, in particular slain leaders both daughters Sassui and Sorath Lohar, who ran a long campaign for freedom of their father when he was abducted by the state agencies.
SANA statement also noted that Mr. Lohar never had a criminal or terrorist record, he faced no court cases, he was an unarmed peaceful activist and a schoolteacher, he did not have to be killed for his political ideas and movement for justice.
The Sindhi human rights organisation has demanded the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) to take notice of the violence and suppression inflicted on the people of Sindh in Pakistan. Further, the statement shared by SANA also stated that hailing from a lower working class, Lohar was a head teacher at a local school in his hometown of Naseerabad, in the morning hours on Friday, February 16, 2024, he was gunned down by an unknown gunmen while on his way to duty in school.
Additionally, the President of the Baloch American Congress, Tara Chand, also stated his sentiments in a social media post. Taking the matter to social media platform ‘X’ Chand tagged several national and international human rights organisations and stated, “The killing of Hidayat Lohar is a clear example of the impunity enjoyed by the secret agencies of the Pakistan Army. We must hold them accountable for their crimes against human rights defenders.”
The killing of Hidayat Lohar is a clear example of the impunity enjoyed by the secret agencies of the Pakistan Army. We must hold them accountable for their crimes against human rights defenders. @VmpSindh7.#StopSindhiExtrajudicialkilling #EndEnforcedDisappearances… pic.twitter.com/DJDIDi6OVT
— Dr. Tara Chand (@drtchand) February 16, 2024
A video shared in the same social media post by Chand, clearly shows the family of Hidayat Lohar bitterly crying and weeping alongside, what seems to be the dead body of the human rights activist. (ANI)